Page 133 of Text Me Baby One More Time

“You gotta do it, man. Just rip the band-aid off before she finds out from someone who isn’t you.”

“Why do I have to tell her at all?”

He narrows his eyes at me. “You know why—because you were way in the fucking wrong and she needs to know the kind of person she’s letting into her life.”

“But I’m not that person anymore.”

“I know you’re not, I do, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t do it. That doesn’t mean it never happened just because you’re not who you were back then. Sorry, bro, but this is like if you had an arrest record for assault and didn’t tell her about it.” He snaps his fingers together. “Oh, wait, you do have one.”

I’m quick to correct him. “Not true—he didn’t press charges.”

“You’re right, just a destruction of property charge and a suspension from the MLB.” He rolls his eyes. “My bad.”

“But the difference is she already knows all that and she’s still into me.”

He pushes himself off the couch and joins me in the kitchen. He rests his hands on the counter across from me, staring at me with hard eyes.

“What?” I grind out.

“You want this time to be different, yeah? You want things to not get all muddled and fucked up like they did last time? Want to build a future with her?”

“More than anything.”

No hesitation.

That’s exactly what I want.

“You want to beworthyof her?”

“Yes.”

He points at me. “Thenyouhave to tell her.”

“Why can’t I just sweep it under the rug and never speak of it ever again?”

“Because that, my friend, is the pussy way out, and you aren’t a pussy.”

“You sure? How much pussy does one have to eat to become one?”

AJ pinches the bridge of his nose. “Dammit, Clark. You’re exhausting.”

“Weird—your mom said the same thing last night.”

“Shep…” he warns.

I hold my hand up. “Fine, fine. I’ll tell her, but if she dumps my ass, this is on you.”

He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “No, this is on you—entirely. Remember that.”

It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but I know he’s right.

Fuck him for being right.

I have to tell her. Tomorrow. Before the wedding.

AJ pushes away from the counter and retreats into the living room, throwing himself back down on my sofa that cost way too much money and clicking play on the movie he was watching.

“Now beer me! Let’s get fucking drunk. I’m getting hitched tomorrow!”

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